Filed to story: A Little Princess's Journey from Darkness to Light Novel
“Why didn’t you answer my call?”
Priscilla sobbed even louder. “Shawn, is it really my fault? I didn’t mean it… Why did the principal fire me? And the Crawfords won’t forgive me either.”
“No, it’s not your fault. There, there.”
While Priscilla wept, she caught a glimpse of her vulnerable yet attractive face in the mirror. However, the person hugging her now couldn’t be more ordinary-looking. She used to think that Shawn was handsome, but now that she had met Anthony and Blake, Shawn seemed… plain. Priscilla believed she deserved someone better than Shawn. A girl like her should be held in the arms of Anthony or Blake. She pushed Shawn away and ran out.
“Peachy!” Shawn chased after her, but he couldn’t find her in the corridor. Frantically, he summoned an elevator and went downstairs. In the dimly lit stairwell, Priscilla emerged. She whimpered,
“I’m sorry, Shawn. We are not meant to be together.”
With a broken heart, Priscilla went to Flynn’s place.
“Peachy?” Flynn was surprised to see her.
Priscilla looked at Flynn’s ordinary face. She felt even worse. But either way, it was too late to go anywhere. She would just spend the night crying at Flynn’s place before leaving him tomorrow.
Oh, her miserable life!
…
Inside Lilly’s room, Bettany applied a cold compress to Lilly’s forehead.
“I can do it,” Blake volunteered. He felt bad about bothering an elderly woman at night.
Bettany just glared back. “Be quiet.”
Lilly lay obediently and allowed Bettany to treat her bruise. “Grandma, I’m okay.”
“You too. Be quiet.”
Both the father and the daughter fell silent.
“Ahem,” Blake coughed. “Lilly, would you like to hear a story?”
Blake picked up the few storybooks on the table.
Lilly raised her hand immediately. “Fan-fictions, please. I want one that has something called a harem. Like a girl who has relationships with two boyfriends.”
It took Blake and Bettany a while to process what they had just heard.
“Blake!” Bettany hollered. “What kind of stories do you read to Lilly?”
Blake felt wrongly accused. He would never show Lilly that kind of material.
Lilly looked at Pablo. “What’s wrong with that, Pablo?”
Bettany couldn’t see who Lilly was talking to.
Pablo was left speechless. He was talking about cheesy fan-fiction, not adult content. That being said, both were equally terrible.
“It’s okay. Let’s forget about it,” said Pablo wryly.
Lilly pouted. She knew it. Her good-for-nothing mentor was teaching her nothing good again!
Lilly turned to Bettany. “Never mind. I want to listen to ‘100 Floors Under Water’.”
Blake was relieved to hear that. He took out the storybook. “Sure. Once upon a time…”
In a child’s bedroom, the adventurous Blake was telling Lilly a story. It was a rare sight. Bettany quietly left the room. As she exited, her legs felt strange. Ever since Lilly had massaged her legs, Bettany could move some of the muscles. She tried to stand up, but it was futile. With a shake of her head, she mocked her own wishful thinking.
Inside the room, Blake sat beside Lilly and improvised a story. He had a deep and soothing voice. Before long, Lilly fell asleep. Blake put down the storybook and watched Lilly, affection in his eyes.
“Goodnight, my angel.” Blake then kissed Lilly’s forehead.
He was grateful for Lilly. He only regretted not being there when she was born. But it didn’t matter anymore. From now on, he would stay by her side. Blake tucked Lilly in gently and walked towards the balcony out of habit.
Polly, who was asleep, woke up and made way for Blake. It tilted its head, “Want to sleep next to me, Blake?”
Blake’s face twitched. Who in their right mind would sleep next to a parrot?
Blake playfully flicked the parrot’s head. “You need to find a mate.”
Blake closed the glass door leading to the balcony before leaving the room. In her dream, Lilly embraced the idea of having multiple partners. Her jar of dreams was almost full.
Meanwhile, Pablo pulled his hair while looking through his booklet. “This can’t be it. Where is she?”
Indeed, where was Jean?
Priscilla felt rejuvenated after shedding tears the previous night. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she gave herself a pep talk. “You can do this, Peach. You are the most amazing girl in the world, and no one can tell you otherwise.”
Flynn entered the room with a tray of food. When he saw Priscilla encouraging herself, he smiled. “You’re so adorable, Peachy. Please stay with me?”
Priscilla looked at him sadly. “I can’t, Flynn. I truly wish I could wake up like this every day. You would make me breakfast, and I would give you a child. I would ensure the house is tidy while you’re at work, and I would eagerly wait for you to come home with our child.”
“Then stay,” Flynn pleaded, embracing Priscilla tightly. His voice trembled. “I will work hard to give you the life you deserve.”
Priscilla shook her head. “But what about Shawn? He is depressed, and I am the only reason he keeps going. If I leave him, he might end his life. I love you, Flynn. I truly do. But I can’t be so selfish. I can’t let him die.”
It was impressive how Priscilla came up with such a melodramatic scenario in an instant.
“Forget about me, Flynn,” Priscilla said dejectedly.
“I will talk to him now,” Flynn insisted, holding Priscilla closer.
“No! What if that pushes him over the edge? If he kills himself, I will never forgive myself.”
Priscilla pushed Flynn away, gave him a piercing look, and ran away. Flynn chased after her but ultimately lost her.
In the stairwell, Priscilla lamented her inability to be with Flynn. So, she decided to visit her third boyfriend, Sam Myers.
“Peachy?” Sam was about to leave for work when he saw Priscilla. “I thought you said you didn’t want to see me anymore.”
Priscilla answered wistfully, “I don’t know who else to turn to. And somehow, my body brought me here.”
Sam refrained from taking any action. He chuckled, “Where are Shawn and Flynn? Aren’t they…”
“Stop!” Priscilla covered her face in agony. “They and I are just friends. After you left me, I never contacted them. I didn’t want to come here. But my body was telling me…”
Sam hesitated before pulling Priscilla into his arms. For a moment, she felt like the leading lady in a soap opera. However, as she looked up, Sam’s disheveled face shattered her illusion. He had decided to let his beard grow unchecked.
Priscilla felt despondent. It seemed like Anthony and Blake were the only ones who met her standards.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have come to bother you. I…”
Priscilla was about to leave, but Sam couldn’t wait any longer. The woman before him was too irresistible. He pressed her against the wall and kissed her.
Oh! Priscilla felt breathless. A pair of soft lips were pressed against hers. She closed her eyes, imagining that Blake was making love to her. How could a prey like her escape the grasp of an alpha male?
Half an hour later, Priscilla buried half of her flushed cheek under the sheet.
Sam looked at her with all the tenderness in the world. “Was it your first time, Priscilla?”
“Why do you have to bring it up? Hmph!”
It wasn’t her first time. She had experienced many first times with her boyfriends. Thanks to modern technology, anything could be restored. She would have to visit the hospital again to prepare for Blake and Anthony.
Sam embraced Priscilla. During their cuddle session, Priscilla told him how she had crossed paths with the Crawfords and was fired.
“That’s why you came to me?” Sam asked.
“I was at my wit’s end. The guilt was consuming me. But they won’t accept my apology. I wandered aimlessly on the street, and the next thing I knew, I was at your doorstep.”
